By Annette Newcomb~Editor
The Twin Lakes Village Board will discuss an amendment to the village’s liquor and beverage license regulations during its regular board meeting set to begin at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21 in village hall.
The goal is to establish a unified schedule so the sale of all alcohol ceases at the same time at grocery stores and convenience stores that carry a Class A license. Currently the ordinance allows for the sale of hard liquor until 9 p.m. and the sale of beer until midnight.
Twin Lakes Police Chief Dale Racer said the issue surfaced following numerous complaints to the police department and to the State’s Department of Revenue regarding liquor violations at area gas stations over several years. The complaints were followed up by a recent investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue agents at a Twin Lakes gas station.
Only changes in the selling time for sealed and packaged alcoholic beverages sold by Class A licensed premises, such as gas stations, grocery stores, convenience stores and liquor stores is being looked at. The proposed amendment does not affect taverns who are Class B licensed premises.
Technically, the Class A premises have to lock up, and make sure that the hard liquor is not in the public’s presence at 9 p.m. if the business is open and operational longer than 9 p.m., he said.
“There is no general rule for the county. I did a survey of numerous municipalities between Kenosha and Lake Geneva, Burlington and Milwaukee and the majority do not allow Class A licensed premises to sell any type of liquor or beer between the hours of 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. These hours not to sell any alcohol between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. are more consistent than the current Ordinance and a better enforcement tool to monitor this activity,” Racer said.
Twin Lakes taverns are considered a Class B licensed premise and can sell packaged beverages until midnight. “So if someone really needs a six pack of beer at 11 p.m. they can give their business to the area taverns,” Racer noted.
He points out the bigger issue and complaints is the sale of alcohol to underage persons at the Class A licensed premises.
“Because all alcohol must be locked up at 9 p.m. the temptation to sell to an underage person is lessened, forcing the underage person(s) to try to buy liquor at a tavern, to which the tavern and bartender have more to lose if they are caught selling to an underage person than the employee at the Class A licensed premise,” Racer said.
“This is common sense, if a tavern loses their liquor license they lose their livelihood. If a gas station loses their liquor license they can still sell and profit from selling gas and other items within their premise. So naturally a tavern will be more vigilant to not sell alcohol to underage person(s),” he concluded.
The State’s Liquor Law, Chapter 125 suggests, for Class A licensed premises, no liquor sales between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. and no beer sales between midnight and 6 a.m. which is what the Village is currently following.
“However, the hours can be modified by each municipality as seen fit. Again, to be consistent and less confusing, it would be appropriate to stop all sale of alcohol at the same time and not scattered as we do now for Class A licensed premises,” said Racer.